


the five musketeers

by quartet



Category: The World's End (2013)
Genre: 16 year olds, Birthday, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humour, secondary school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quartet/pseuds/quartet
Summary: Gary King for all his arrogance and high horse crap, actually cared a lot for his friends.





	the five musketeers

**Author's Note:**

> An advance birthday fic for one Gary King, also could be treated as a belated one.

Andy shuffled the textbooks in his locker by arranging them neatly according to the fields: humanities, business, languages and science. At the locker besides Andy, Gary shoved the pile of books in hand into the space, the books collided with the metal creating a racket. He arranged them according to fate.

Andy slotted in the last book and shut the locker door closed. He shook his head in disapproval when he saw the disarray Gary has caused. "You ought to be more organize, I mean," Andy scoffed as he leaned over to get a good look inside his locker. It looked like a wasteland. "How do you even find anything in here?"

"Simple, I stick my hand in there as I rummage through the heap. It's kind of like being a human claw machine actually, it depends if I get a prize in the end. If I don't get what I'm looking for then fuck it, I'd say." Gary said as he forcefully pushes in the sliding books that threatened to fall out of the locker. Once it was back in, he rapidly slammed it shut. The bang startling students that were standing nearby. Some of them shot Gary a death glare but of course being the oblivious git he is and also for harbouring that devil may care attitude, Gary paid them no mind but Andy silently mouthed a 'Sorry' to them.

The next period bell rang.

They stepped in line with the dispersing crowd of students who are leaving for their designated classrooms. They walked side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Andy's backpack occasionally bumps into Gary as the crowd moved to which Gary would nudge it aside only to get bumped on again seconds later. He gave up. Andy who wasn't oblivious to this, bit his lip to refrain from breaking out a smile.

Along the way, Gary spoke out of the blue, "I feel different today. As if I've grown older."

"What do you mean?"

"Today. Seems particularly special doesn't it?" Gary pressed on.

"Um. It's a Monday and we don't have math class today which particularly pleases you as you loathe it?" 

He deflated, "I thought you knew." 

Andy furrowed his brows in confusion. "What?"

Gary waved it off, "Never mind."

Up a staircase and down the west hallway that's when they arrived at the classroom for their next period. The classroom was all chatter as students made it a competition to talk all over themselves, a contest to see who amongst them could speak the loudest; Gary would win but it wouldn't end well.

He dumped his sling bag on the table at the far end of the room to which Andy followed suit on the table beside it by taking off his backpack and hanging it on the back of the chair.

They sat down. Facing each other, Gary spoke, "Have you seen Pete around lately? He hasn't been in school since yesterday unless, he has and I've not been paying attention again." He grimaced.

"Yeah no, I've not seen him around either, I tried calling his landline but his mum picked up and she seemed to think he has been attending school all this while. I didn't want to worry her so I hanged up."

"Odd. Maybe we can ask Steve later, he might know something."

Andy shook his head, “Afraid not. He’s called in sick today.” 

He bore suspicion, two friends absent in one day. That couldn’t be a mere coincidence. 

“What about Ollie?”

“Family emergency, stayed home today.” 

“I thought they didn’t believe in the art of skiving.”

Andy merely shrugged at him. He didn’t have an answer either.

This is definitely not a coincidence and it churned his stomach thinking about the worst possible scenarios that could’ve happened. Gary slumped back in his seat. An unknown fear plagued his eyes.

Gary King for all his arrogance and high horse crap, actually cared a lot for his friends.

Andy knew that but do the others?

  


* * *

  


As the final bell of the day rang, they trickled out of the classroom and right into the frosty bite of the cold air. Gary went out of his house this morning wearing only a long sleeve button down shirt and the material isn't sufficient to keep the coolness at bay. 

“God, you idiot. Why'd you leave your house wearing just this? You know it's going to be cold." Andy remarked annoyingly. He swung his backpack around and takes out a spare sweater. 

It's beige in colour... with a picture of a smiling plant on it. 

Gary cringed as he pinched the sweater and held it up high to inspect it, "Where did you even get this downright ugly sweater from?" 

Andy punched him in the shoulder, "My mum knitted it for me, you insensitive geezer." 

"I love your mum Andy but, _**seriously?**_ " 

"Wear it or perish in the cold." 

"No." Andy fussily held Gary's arms up as he forcefully slips on the sweater for him and adjusted it till it's all snug and warm.

"You're welcome."

Gary muttered unspeakably for the rest of the way home.

  


* * *

  


A mile or so later, a quaint double storey house came into view and they halted in their steps. "Alright mate, see you tomorrow then. I guess." Gary said. He looked rather dejected as he uttered those words. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Andy butted in, "Er, actually Gary I was hoping I could come in with you, I was thinking we could get a head start on our Science project?" 

Gary spun around to look at Andy, a look of confusion etched across his face, "It's not due till March, we still have long ways off." Gary disputed, unable to believe his best friend could be this huge of a nerd. 

"Doesn't hurt to get an early head start." 

"But-" Andy stared pointedly at Gary, giving him his infamous 'Don't try to argue with me’ look. 

" _Psh._ You can't make me." 

"Yes I can." 

“No you can't." 

"Yes." 

"No." 

"I'm gonna get a bloody stroke doing this with you so often." Andy said tiredly, placing his hand on his upper left chest. Gary grinned. "Yeah, it's pointless arguing with me so don't bother.".

Andy frowned, "You've forced my hand on this. You will regret what happens next."

"Wha-"

Andy grabbed a hold of Gary's legs and mustered a great effort to toss Gary across his shoulder who was laughing unbelievably and fumbling about in his grasp. "MATE, PUT ME DOWN!" Andy ignored him and proceed to trudged forward to the front porch and with the assistance of his foot kicked the door thrice. "Let me in, guys!"

Gary stilled. "Wait what?"

The door unlocked and Andy entered with Gary over his shoulder. From behind, Gary could hear multiple snickers coming from the front... which baffled him. He doesn't own any pets and his mum is at work, he could only draw one logical conclusion. "Andy, tell me something, is my house haunted?" A badly mimicked ghoul voice piped up from the front, "YeEeSss... this is the unreeeested soul of Steveeee. OoOooo."

"AnnNnnd Peteeeeee."

"Yeah. Wooo or whatever."

Wait, that was his friends.

Andy let go and Gary dropped to the ground knocking the wind out of him. "Owww... That hurt like a bitch." 

He looked up to see three pairs of legs belonging to three individuals; Steven, Peter and Oliver. "Surprise!" cried Peter. Followed by a toot on the airhorn by Steven and a party popper going off by Oliver.

Gary stared at them gobsmacked. "...For what?"

Andy propped Gary up, "Why don't you take a good look around and maybe I don't know, take a wild guess." He patted him on the shoulder.

"Guys, I swear if this is an elaborate prank on me, I'll kill you all for it." Andy groaned, "Quit refuting for once and just," he laid his hands on Gary's shoulder and spun him around in a slow circle. That's when Gary took notice that his living room isn't exactly the same old living room he remembered. It was decorated with balloons, stringers and perhaps the most obvious clue of all is a large black banner that read, "Happy Birthday Gary King!"

And the cake on the coffee table. Plus the gifts on the carpet.

He was overwhelmed with this feeling of happiness in his chest that threatened to burst out of him. He clenched his fist tightly, fingernails digging into his skin. He didn't say a word or even turned around to look at his friends. He just stood there. Immobilized.

Oliver shot Steven who shot Andy a worried look and Peter darted his eyes back and forward figuring out what had they done wrong. "...Gary? You alright there?" Andy asked gently. "Yeah." he replied timidly.

Gary turned around and to the surprise of the four of them, Gary King; Fearless Leader was misty eyed. "Jesus, we made Gary cried! I told you guys we shouldn't hold surprise birthday parties. I'm sorry, Gary." Peter quickly apologized. Looking more sorry than his usual self.

Gary shook his head in disagreement, "No," he sniffled. "It's not that, I love it. I just," he swiped the back of his hand against his eye, catching the loose tear. "No one had done this for me before. I thought you guys had forgotten. The three of you lot didn't bother showing up and you," he jabbed a finger into Andy's chest. "You acted like today meant nothing." Andy smiled apologetically. "I couldn't ruin the surprise."

"Fuck, I love you guys alright. I really do," He said, starting to get choked up. "Jesus."

"Fucking hell."

"Okay, Gary you can stop with the expletives now."

Gary chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair. “Oh my lord…”

“Get in here you bastard.” Andy engulfed him in a hug. “C'mere and hug this bastard for me too, will ya lads?” 

Peter and Steven willingly dove in while Oliver grudgingly done so. He loved it. 

That single moment where the lot of them were wrapped around each other; the feeling of belonging, of friendship, _of brotherhood_ echoed strongly among the five of them.

It really was One for All and All for One.


End file.
